1.
great cormorant; river cormorant
A large black waterbird that dives to catch fish, common along rivers and lakes throughout Japan. Sometimes confused with the closely related umiu, the species actually used in traditional cormorant fishing.
Composed of 川 (river) and 鵜 (cormorant). The cormorant is a skilled diving bird that can swallow fish whole. Its black plumage and habit of drying its wings with them spread wide are distinctive features seen along Japanese waterways.
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Cultural note
Cormorant fishing (鵜飼い) is a traditional fishing method over 1,300 years old, designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. The most famous location is the Nagara River in Gifu, where 鵜匠 (cormorant masters) fish by torchlight from boats. The poet Matsuo Basho wrote about it.